Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur believes a change in Formula 1 car concept in mid-2023 would be "very difficult" for any team to make. The Italian squad have endured a tricky start to the 2023 season, with reliability concerns and a lack of performance limiting them to a best finish of fourth - through Carlos Sainz in the Bahrain opener. It is vastly different from 2022 when Charles Leclerc won two of the first three races, and was second in the other, as the team battle Aston Martin and Mercedes to be second best behind runaway leaders Red Bull. And Vasseur believes that while a change in concept - which rival squad Mercedes are planning to do with the W14, starting with an upgrade package at Imola - would not be "impossible", Ferrari would be better suited to making their SF-23 design work.
Vasseur cool on new car concept
"You have to consider all the aspects of this, to do a new project during the season," Vasseur explained to select media, including RacingNews365.com , after the Australian Grand Prix. "To start from scratch, to do a new car with the cost cap, but also considering the time restrictions. "I don't want to say that it is impossible, but it is very difficult, and we have the feeling, and I hope we are right, that we have tonnes of room for improvement on the car. "As long as we are still able to develop the car to get points and to get a better balance, a bit of stability, I think it makes sense to push in this direction [as opposed to a new car concept]."
Cost cap main factor in development
Before the cost cap was introduced, teams could introduce as many upgrades they liked to their car, and development costs would vary between the bigger and smaller teams. However, new Maranello chief Vasseur highlights the cost cap as a potential reason for not completely redesigning an F1 car. "With the stability of the regulations, we don't have to change massively, the question is about the cost cap," he said. "If you want to do a carryover or not, and which parts you want to carry over between one season and another, but the big components, like the gearbox, is the question we have to manage with the cost cap. "With the strategy of development, I think we have good updates, and we'll see later on into the season. "We want to do a continuous improvement of this car and have room for improvement."
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